My First Rental Car

I turned 25 last November. (That was before anyone was actually reading this blog.) In America, turning 25 means you can now rent cars without dealing with absurd fees! Score one for “maturity.”

Leading up to my birthday, I went back and forth on whether or not I was excited or terrified (see: 25 Things to do Before Turning 25). In the end, I ultimately decided this year is going to be awesome, so there’s nothing to be worried about. Plus, I can now pay $40 and get a large, mechanical object which I can then plow through the countryside at faster-than-human speeds!

It's missing a hubcap. That wasn't me. Also, there was a warning light on the entire day. Never figured out why. I love rentals!

Renting a car is surprisingly easy, I learned. We didn’t even bother to make the reservation until about 14 hours before we needed it. And I wouldn’t have even gotten that far if it weren’t for my friend who did all the research.

For $38.96, I was handed over the keys to this gem of a car: 3 hubcaps, a blinking warning light on the dashboard, and a smokey smell on the interior. Whatever.

I should mention that I haven’t even driven a car in months. God, I miss driving! What a rush!

So, with the car in drive, my friends and I set out for the Vermont interior. Again, we wouldn’t have gotten far if it weren’t for my friend who astutely wrote down the directions to our destination before we left. If it were me, I probably could have gotten us to a beach in New Hampshire, but we were headed for ice cream in Vermont. Same difference, really.

Yeah, I know. Ice cream doesn’t make much more sense in March than a beach trip. But we were on our way to the Ben & Jerry’s Winter Festival. Free tours & free ice cream? Yes, please.

This post is just about my first rental car, so you’ll have to wait for more of the juicy details on the Ben & Jerry’s tour. If you work for Häagen-Dazs, get in touch so I can share all the trade secrets I learned. (Kidding. All I learned is that ice cream is delicious.)

6 comments

I've definitely had my fair share of older friends/siblings help me acquire things I couldn't otherwise obtain at my age. So happy I can now rent cars! A surprising perk of aging :)

backpacking-travel-guide

17 March 2010

Awwwww! “Kids grow up so Fast” Being able to rent is a big deal- I feel you! Maybe your friends thought it was “cool” to rent cars for prom instead of piling into a limo? My friends certainly did; correction their older siblings did the renting for us! In this way, driving a rental seemed like the most pronounced stride to independence! Good thing you're using your independent streak to gather yummy ice cream from all across the American northeast! kudos to you, Adam!

nectarfizzics

13 March 2010

I really hope there's more to look forward to about turning 25 than renting cars because I still don't have a license.

Adam

13 March 2010

At 25, you also get to select the 25-34 age range in surveys instead of 18-24. That's a pretty awesome benefit.

When I went to California I needed to rent a car and it was before I was 25 so the fees were out of control. I want to rent a car now just because it's cheaper. I can't wait to hear about Ben and Jerry's!

Adam

13 March 2010

Luckily for me every time I needed to rent a car before I was 25, I was always with someone older. Of course, that meant I couldn't legally drive the car. Didn't always stop me, though!

Who is Adam?

I quit my job as a graphic designer to travel the world, writing this blog along the way. I’ve lived in Berlin, Tel Aviv, London, Sydney, Boston, and Dallas—but since early 2018, I live in New York City (Brooklyn, duh).

On my travel blog, you’ll find gay stories, nightlife tips, photos, and all-too-personal essays from my adventures around the world. Read how Iceland changed my life and set me on a path as a professional travel blogger & award-winning writer.